Blackboard Ultra: Gradebook FAQs

Automatic zeros can be turned on if you would like Blackboard to automatically assign a zero for any assignment past due. It will be assigned immediately following the due date/time. (Note: this can cause alarm for some students, especially if you have verbally granted an individual extension.)

IMPORTANT: If you choose not to use automatic zeros, you do need to manually enter a zero for any assignment that has not been submitted. Leaving it null (blank) could result in an inflated grade for the student. Leaving it null removes those points from a student’s total points possible.

To access the setting in the Gradebook, click the gear icon located in the upper-right corner to open the Gradebook settings. About halfway down, there is a checkbox to control automatic zeros.

For more detailed information, view automatic zeros on the Gradebook Blackboard Help page.

You can excuse a student from an assessed activity by giving them an exemption. When exempted, the student’s overall calculation will adjust to ensure they are not put at a disadvantage versus their peers.

There are three ways to grant exemptions:

• From an assessment's Submissions page, open the menu in a student's row and select Add or edit exemptions. This will open the exemptions panel.
• From the student drill-down view, select the menu of the relevant assessment and choose Add or edit exemptions.
• From the gradebook Grades view, select the student’s assessment cell and a menu will open. Then, select Add or edit exemptions.

For more detailed information, view exemptions on the Grant Exceptions and Exemptions Help page. 

If you use letter grades, Blackboard assigns a letter grade based on a grading schema. You must ensure the grading schema in Blackboard matches the grading scale in your syllabus. If the grading schema does not match the grading scale in your syllabus, it could result in an incorrect grade for the student.

To access the Grading Schema in the Gradebook, click the gear icon located in the upper-right corner to open the Gradebook settings. Near the top, you will find the Current Grading Schema. Click the “Letter (+/-)” link to view and/or modify the grading schema or add a new grading schema. You can create grading schemas for Pass/Fail, Complete/Incomplete, and more. 

For more detailed information, view the Grading Schemas Blackboard Help page.

Add Gradebook Columns

There are two primary methods to add an item to the Gradebook.

• Any time you create an Assessment (assignment or test/quiz) or a Participation Activity (discussion or journal) and make it worth points, a corresponding column will be created automatically in the Gradebook.
• To create a manual item from within the Gradebook, hover your mouse between any two existing items. A plus (+) sign will appear. Click the plus (+) sign and choose “Create Item." In the panel that appears, type a name for the new column/assignment. Then make it visible to students, and assign a due date, points, and a grade category. 

Calculated Totals

You can also add a Calculated column to your Gradebook. Click the plus (+) sign and choose "Add Calculation." This will allow you to create a calculation to display grades in more than one format (such as Letter, Percentage, Weights, etc.).

See "Can I create a Total Points Calculation" FAQ below for more information.

For more detailed information, view add gradable items, calculations, or attendance on the Gradebook Blackboard Help page.

To create a Total Points calculation, go to the Gradebook and click the plus (+) sign to create a new item. From the drop-down menu, choose “Add Total.” At the top, name the new item “Total Points.” From the functions list, choose “Total.” There are checkboxes for every category and each individual assignment. If you do not include items, they will not be calculated as part of the total points.

By selecting categories, it will include every item associated with that category. If you use categories in your calculation, if/when you create a new gradable item, it will automatically be included in the Total Points calculation. However, if you do not use categories (but rather selected individual assignments for the Total Points calculation), if/when you create a new gradable item, it will NOT be automatically included in the Total Points calculation.

IMPORTANT: If you add an assignment to your course, it is imperative that you check the Total Points calculation to ensure the new assignment is included in the Total Points calculation. If the new assignment is not included in the Total Points calculation, it will not count towards the final grade.

For more detailed information, view the Grade Columns Blackboard Help page. Note: This page also contains information on using categories (vs. items) in grade calculations and weighted calculations.

Blackboard will ask you to set up the Overall Grade Column. This column is used to display an overall grade to students, the one associated with the grading 'pill.' This is also the grade column that can be used to transfer midterm and final grades into Banner via Grades Journey. Without an Overall Grade column, students are only able to see scores for individual items and will not see a final calculated grade unless an alternate final grade calculation has been created.

Select the Overall Grade Calculation type you prefer: Points, Weighted, or Advanced. Depending on your choice, you can allocate the weights of categories or individual items in the Gradebook. Blackboard will prompt you if your totals do not equal 100%.

In the Overall Grade Settings, select "Base calculation on points earned out of total graded points" to display a running total for students throughout the term. Then select whether the overall grade is displayed as a Letter, Percentage, or Points. Make sure that "Show to students" is checked. 

For more detailed information, view the Overall Grade Column Blackboard Help page.

Yes. There are multiple methods to drop a lowest score. 

The simplest method to drop a lowest score is when using Grade Categories. Go to Gradebook Settings, scroll down to Overall Grade, and click Manage Overall Grade settings. Each Category has a "(+) Edit calculation rules" option. In the panel that opens, select the Enable feature, and choose Drop Scores. 

If you have a Total Points calculation, you can edit this calculation to drop the lowest score from a set of gradable items. In the Gradebook, click the three dot (…) menu to the right of the Total Points calculation and click “Edit.” Next, and in this order, from the Functions menu on the left, under Operators, click “Subtract (-).” Then, from the Functions menu, click “Min.” Use the drop-down arrow next to Min, to select the items from which you wish to drop the lowest score. This will find the lowest score and subtract it from the Total Points calculation. The total points possible for each student will be adjusted accordingly.

For more information about functions and operators, view the Calculation Column Blackboard Help page.

Points-based Grading

Yes. The most common method is to add a column for extra credit and add it to the Overall Grade calculation for points based grading.

If you want to add one individual extra credit column: From the Gradable Items view, click the (+) sign to add a new item to the Gradebook. Select New Item and rename it as "Extra Credit." Set the max score as "0" and include it in the Overall Grade calculation.

If you want to add more than one extra credit column, start by adding an "Extra Credit" Grade Category: From Gradebook settings, scroll down to Grade Categories and select Add New Category. Enter “Extra Credit” for the new category name. Then, when you add the Extra Credit column to Gradable Items, select Extra Credit from the Grade category dropdown. Include the Extra Credit grade category in the Overall Grade calculation.

For more information, view the Extra Credit in the Overall Grade Column Blackboard Help page. 

Weighted Grading

Weighted grading has a unique approach to extra credit. Please read the extra credit added to a weighted grades to see the options and workflows. 

Yes, it is possible to reorder items in the Gradable Items List View.

Note: You cannot rearrange in the Grid View.

Locate the item you wish to move. At the far right of that item, click and drag the up/down arrow to move the item to the desired location. This can also be accomplished with drag and drop keyboard navigation. 

Yes, you can add an attendance grade.

From the Gradable Items view, click the (+) sign to add a new item to the Gradebook. Select Add Attendance. Use the Attendance Settings panel to set up the calculation, making sure to choose Points, Percentage, or Letter grading scale to match your other Gradebook items.

View the Manage Attendance Blackboard Help page for more information.